Australian Deputy Prime Minister and concurrent Minister of Defense Richard Marles stopped by Malacañang Palace on Friday for a courtesy call.

He was received by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin at the Presidential Guest House.

Marles is in the country for the 2nd Philippines-Australia Defense Ministers Meeting (DMM) hosted by the Department of National Defense (DND).

The Australian official was accompanied by his country’s representative to the Philippines, Ambassador Marc Innes-Brown.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro joined Bersamin on the Philippine side.

On the sidelines of the DMM, the Australian Deputy Prime Minister will observe activities under the Philippines-Australia Exercise Amphibious and Land Operations 2025, or Exercise ALON 2025.

From 15 to 29 August, more than 3,600 personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF), with additional participation from the Royal Canadian Navy and the United States Marine Corps’ Marine Rotation Force–Darwin, are training across Luzon and Palawan to enhance interoperability, readiness, and regional security cooperation.

Exercise ALON 2025 is Australia’s largest overseas joint training activity this year.